The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk A.D. exterior mirrors

I have installed original design mirror arms on my 49 chev. the left one is fairly strait. seen thru the drivers side window. The right one has a big curve in it and is seen thru the windshield. The design is great for visability but they look really goofy looking at the truck from front or rear. Does anyone know where I could get a right mirror arm that looks like the left one? Thank you, Terry

That is the way it is supposed to be. Kind of like a beauty mark.

Nice, Cletis. GM = God Made

I never get upset by what people want to do with their trucks; however, my preference is how it made by GM. Goofy?

Same here guys, I figure the guys at GM put a whole hell of a lot more time in to trial and error before they launched it into production. So how am I, just one guy of average intellect, going to improve on it. I can't even decide how to arrange the junk in the garage let alone re-design the Stovebolt.
DG

That's why I going with peep mirrors.
They both look alike on both sides.
Not the best for a working truck but
my truck has worked hard all it's life
now it's time to just look and sound GOOD!

mike

now you understand why GM made the right mirror optional .... AND why some folks chose the option

Bill

Bill I think you are right, Thats why you hardly see them on restored trucks, I think I'm just going to leave mine on, as i've already drilled the holes.

I had one guy asked me why I made the mirror arm that way! He must have thought that I have fabrication skills.

Hey, you guys don't have panels, meaning you cannot do without those right side mirrors. Personally, I like the look of the mirror arms, Terry, why don't you straighten it out to whatever suits your taste?

Terry should stay with the originial!

Passenger side mirrors were very rare options in the 50's because the roads were 2 lane and you didn't worry about someone being on your right side. We installed the goofy looking mirrors because we pulled trailers quite often and the only way to back is with 2 mirrors. In fact, the 50 GMC my father gave me when I was 14 had a mirror inside the cab. My father removed it so I would learn to use the outside mirrors.

Hey Fred, you should have told that guy that you applied some artistic liberty when you made that one.

DG

I didn't mean to cause such a stir over the mirrors, My truck is being done totally original, And I'm going to keep the mirrors just the way GM made them. I still don't like the way they look.

I don't like them either but thats the way I'll probably go since I already bought the left side.... but I have seen some tastefully done exterior mirrors that looked neat.
Its yours so do what you want...

Hey Terry don't you go appologizing for nothin' if you hadn't have brought up the question what in the world would we have to talk about. From my vantage point there taint very much that shouldn't be discussed even though the moderators might thnink differently sometimes. I find it very stimulating to here all the different opinions. Some people are bothered by members, especially new members, that ask questions that have been asked a hundred times before, but I find that almost everytime someone will view it from a different angle or have a different take on the subject.
So buddy, ask away, I'll still be reading, and ya just never know I might even do something quite rare for me, that is, join in and voice my opinion.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL

Terry,

Any stir that you might have caused is only a reality check. It allowed you (and many of us) to think a little about what we want to do with our trucks, and why. And, we may always change our minds.

Who knows, one day you might decide to once again ask your original question: " . . . they look really goofy . . . , Does anyone know where I could get a right mirror arm that looks like the left one?"

We are looking forward to hearing about your first ride (please get someone to take and post a photo of the smile on your face).

Ditto what Denny says. We teach each other and then they teach the next generation!
Denny, when have you ever been bashful

That old gal kinda looked like a girl I dated in high school Fred, a little cock-eyed!!
Ah, you caught that Alvin......I havent had much time lately to write any of my short stories, but now that ya got me tearing up the insides of my '54 maybe I can get the fingers work again and start reporting on all the fun I'm having.

Denny G

lol, but was she as sweet

terry, i agree that the passenger side mirror looks crappy. I am designing a new one similar to the driver's side. I'll post to you when i get a couple made. i think the GM designers just gave up and bent a piece of rod and stuck it on. Not cool. Don

hey, the passenger side looks cooool. its the driver side that looks like it has the droops. If it was up about 3" it be much better. Just can't please everyone I guess! lol

I understand why GM did what they did with the 'goofy' mirror,but I opted for a bit of symmetry .
True,the passenger side's almost useless but I've got an interior mirror and a back window.
It's a minor inconvenience I'm prepared to live with....

Personally, I like my droopy driver's side mirror. It allows me to check the tread on my side-mounted spare every time I look into it. The tire is the ONLY thing I can see.

I recently mounted a rear view mirror inside the cab ... what a great improvement.

Those "little" mirror arms must have been a royal pain to mount on the inside of the door. Mine(2 ton) are up on the cowl so it was easier to access. I like the look on Jockbolter50's photos.

You've got that right Bill, I had to get 'creative' with spanners and butyl tape.
The mirrors are a tad small but I like 'the look' too.
They certainly can't be any worse than some of the peep mirrors I've seen on some rods/customs.